


lost and found

by nightswatch



Category: Check Please! (Webcomic)
Genre: Established Relationship, Fluff, M/M, Secret Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-18
Updated: 2016-09-18
Packaged: 2018-08-15 18:24:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,532
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8067958
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nightswatch/pseuds/nightswatch
Summary: The adventures of Jack Zimmermann and Señor Bunny.





	

Bitty doesn’t notice right away.

When he gets back to the Haus on Sunday evening after spending the weekend at Jack’s, he finds Ransom and Holster wrecking the kitchen, trying to make mug cakes for dinner. Mug cakes. They’re just as horrified about finding him standing in the doorway as Bitty is about the _mug cakes_.

Needless to say, it takes Bitty a while to even get up to his room. He needs to take care of the chaos in the kitchen first.

Once upstairs, he sinks onto his bed with a sigh. It’s cold. After having Jack to warm him up for the last two nights, he’ll need extra blankets so he’ll even be able to fall asleep tonight.

He starts to unpack, but he’s barely opened the zipper of his bag when Lardo knocks on his door. He didn’t close it all the way, so it swings open a little further when she knocks.

“Hey,” Bitty says. “What’s up?”

“Hey, Bits. Did you have a good weekend? With your friend in… where did you say he lived?”

“New Haven,” Bitty says, turning back to his bag, so his face won’t give him away. He hates lying to everyone, but he could hardly tell them that he was spending the weekend in Providence with Jack, could he? He did tell them the truth last time. But if anyone knew how often exactly he goes to see Jack, someone would notice that there’s something going on sooner rather than later.

So, this time, Bitty lied.

He told everyone that he was visiting a high school friend who’s studying at Yale. Just for a couple of days, over the weekend. To catch up. No one asked any questions, although there was some eyebrow waggling and some vague insinuations that Bitty was getting it on with some mystery dude at Yale. Nothing out of the ordinary.

Lardo catches him up on what he missed out on – a movie marathon, burnt microwave popcorn, and, “Shitty was here. He was really sad that you weren’t around. But we were his second choice anyway…” Lardo waves her hand dismissively. “He mentioned that he wanted to hang out with Jack, but he didn’t have time for him.”

“Too bad,” Bitty says. He wishes his face wouldn’t try to match his Samwell Hockey shirt every time Jack’s name is mentioned. He shoots Lardo a look. “Shitty will come back soon, though, won’t he?”

Lardo’s face does a funny thing at that. Then she shrugs. “Probably.” She smirks. “Maybe he’ll drag Jack along.”

“Maybe,” Bitty says nonchalantly.

Something shatters downstairs. Bitty thinks that it might have been a _mug_.

Lardo rolls her eyes. “I’m glad you’re back, Bits. Kitchen was a nightmare while you were gone.”

Then she leaves him to unpack.

It’s not that he’s brought a lot of stuff. He could probably spend a weekend in Providence without bringing anything with him, considering all the clothes he’s already forgotten at Jack’s. Although it’s a give and take, really. He pulls one of Jack’s shirts out of his bag with a smile.

A smile that quickly falters when he realizes that there’s nothing left in there. He glances at his bed.

He definitely brought Señor Bunny to Providence. He wouldn’t have left that poor helpless bunny at the Haus with no means of defending himself.

Bitty upends his bag. _Nothing_.

Or maybe he didn’t bring him?

He checks under his bed. Again, nothing. He shoves his sheets and his pillows off the mattress, because maybe the good Señor is hiding – it wouldn’t be the first time – but Bitty’s search is futile.

“No,” Bitty whispers as he quickly scans his room, “no, no, _no_.”

He must have left him at Jack’s. Maybe he fell out of his bag.

Bitty hasn’t _lost_ him.

Because if Bitty had lost Señor Bunny it would mean something along the lines of the end of the world for him. And he’s not ready for the end of the world. He’s had that bunny ever since he can remember. Señor Bunny has always been there for him, for every big decision, for every secret muttered into the quiet of his room in the middle of the night when he couldn’t sleep.

It’s a good thing Señor Bunny can’t talk.

Bitty reaches for his phone and dials Jack’s number. He texted him earlier, just as he was unlocking the front door, to tell him that he was back. He also has a reply from Jack waiting for him that he must have missed with the mess in the kitchen distracting him. Bitty will look at that one later.

Jack answers his phone after a few rings. “Bits, hey,” Jack says. His voice is so soft and he sounds a little sleepy and Bitty can almost see him curled up on the couch, watching the rest of the documentary that Bitty didn’t make it through last night. He nodded off about thirty minutes in and Jack carried him to bed and never went back to the documentary.

Not that Bitty is complaining. Falling asleep next to Jack is one of his favorite things.

“Jack,” Bitty says, and, oh no, he sounds like he’s about to cry. Which is all kinds of embarrassing. Look, Bitty knows that it’s just a stuffed animal. Except that it really isn’t. “Could you do me a favor?”

“Sure,” Jack says, no questions asked. “Everything okay?”

“Could you check if… uh, if Señor Bunny is somewhere in your bedroom?”

Jack is _very_ quiet for a moment. “I didn’t know you brought him,” he says eventually and Bitty is so, so grateful that he doesn’t laugh. “Just a second, I’ll check.”

“Thank you,” Bitty breathes out.

He can hear Jack huff and puff as he gets up and walks to his bedroom, then Jack hums. “I don’t see him anywhere.”

“No?” Bitty asks.

“Are you sure you brought him?”

“I don’t know,” Bitty says, his voice so wobbly that Jack has to know that he’s about to burst into tears. “I thought I did,” he goes on, trying his hardest to keep his voice steady, “but I’m not sure, I was just throwing stuff in my bag on Friday and I didn’t really pay attention, but he wasn’t in my bag when I got back and he isn’t on my bed and–”

“Give me a sec, Bits, I’m gonna look between the pillows.”

“Okay,” Bitty says.

There’s a low thunk and Jack curses under his breath, in _French_ , and on any other given day Bitty would have found it endearing, but he’s two seconds away from chewing off his fingernails.

“He’s not there, is he?” Bitty asks.

“I’m not done looking,” Jack says. “Anyway, he has to be somewhere, right? Did you check– Wait.”

“What?”

Jack doesn’t reply.

“Jack?”

“Got him,” Jack says, sounding breathless and triumphant and Bitty still wants to cry, but he also wants to hug Jack and never let go of him. Which is slightly inconvenient because Jack is, well, not here. “He was under the bed. Must have fallen out of your bag, eh?”

“He… you…” Bitty sits down on his bed and sucks in a deep breath. Crisis successfully averted. “Yeah, probably. Thank you so much, sweetheart.”

“Sure thing. He’s a bit dusty…” There’s a pause. “A little dust bunny.”

Bitty groans. “ _Jack_.”

“What do you want me to do with him?” Jack asks.

“Uh…” Bitty can hardly tell Jack that he’d drive down to get Señor Bunny right this second if he had a car or any other way of getting to Providence. It’s too late to take the train down and come back up the same night. “Make sure nothing happens to him until the next time we see each other?”

“Will do,” Jack says. “Don’t worry, he’ll have a great time with me.”

“Don’t–”

“Bitty, you’re back!”

 _Jesus Lord_ , did he leave the door open?

He really needs to pay better attention, otherwise he can just get himself a shirt that says _Hi, I’m dating Jack Zimmermann_ soon.

“Chowder,” Bitty chokes out, scrambling off his bed, which is an honest-to-God mess, waving and nearly dropping his phone on the floor in the process. “Hi.”

“Oh,” Chowders says and points at Bitty’s phone, smiling sheepishly. “I’ll talk to you later.” And then he’s gone.

“Sorry,” Bitty says to Jack. He fishes his pillows off the floor and eases his door shut while Jack talks about his plans for tomorrow and Bitty’s heart rate slowly goes back to normal.

They talk for an hour and Jack probably won’t finish that documentary tonight and Bitty is nowhere near done with his reading for tomorrow. He tried to do it in the afternoon, but Jack was sitting next to him, and it’s not so easy to get anything done when you have Jack Zimmermann sitting next to you. Especially when Jack Zimmermann is in a state of undress.

They eventually say good night, and Jack adds, “Señor Bunny says good night, too,” and Bitty loves Jack a little more, which he didn’t know was actually possible.

And even though Bitty is relieved that Señor Bunny isn’t lost forever, going to bed without having him sitting on his pillow is strange. Of course Bitty doesn’t take him down to Providence every single time he visits Jack, but then he at least has Jack to cuddle.

He falls asleep wondering if Jack put Señor Bunny in the same drawer as all the shorts that Bitty has forgotten at Jack’s apartment so far.

*

The next morning, Bitty wakes up to a text from Jack. It’s a _good morning_ and a photo of Señor Bunny sitting on Jack’s kitchen counter.

He gets another one later on when he’s downstairs, making cookies, half the team already lying in wait. Bitty makes sure that no one can sneak a peek at his phone as he looks at the photo Jack sent. It’s Señor Bunny on Jack’s couch and a text: _At least he doesn’t fall asleep on me while we’re watching TV :-)_

 _You’re the one who dragged me out of bed at six on Saturday morning_ , Bitty replies.

All he gets back in return is a smiley face.

When he’s already snuggled into bed, Jack sends him another picture. Señor Bunny, tucked into Jack’s bed, together with a, _Good night from both of us x_

Bitty misses the both of them.

*

As far as Bitty is concerned, Jack is having way too much fun with Señor Bunny.

On the bright side, Bitty now has pictures of Señor Bunny sitting next to a heap of shirts and socks and whatnot – _He’s helping me with the laundry!_ – and of Señor Bunny in an empty pie dish – _He’s not as good at making pies as you are :-(_ – and of Señor Bunny holding a hockey puck – _Ready to join the team!!_

*

Jack’s next game with the Falconers results in the Haus descending into chaos. Jack is the one who’s responsible for the winning goal, so Ransom and Holster insist that they have to celebrate, because Jack is one of their own. Holster wipes a fake tear off his cheek and whispers, “They grow up so fast…”

Bitty is caught up in the middle of it, watching the interviews after the game, nearly choking on his popcorn when Jack appears on their TV. Bitty isn’t sure who has bigger hearts in his eyes, him or Chowder, and silence quickly falls when everyone realizes that Jack is doing an interview. This time it’s Ransom who whispers, “I’m so proud of our son.”

“I had a very special lucky charm today,” Jack says when the interviewer asks him about the game, and his grin is so broad that Bitty can’t help but grin along. Jack gushes about the team for a bit, but Bitty’s thoughts have already started to wander.

After Bitty sent Jack a _good luck_ message this morning, Jack replied with a picture of Señor Bunny sitting on Jack’s Falconers cap: _Do you think he’s also wishing me luck?_

 _He sure is_ , Bitty said.

Jack replied almost instantly: _I guess nothing can go wrong then :-)_

If Bitty could, he’d go to every single one of Jack’s games. He doesn’t doubt that half the team would tag along. But sometimes it just doesn’t work out, and it’s something that Bitty has to get used to. He barely made it home in time to watch the game on TV today. There’ll never be a time when their schedules line up perfectly; there’ll always be days when they’re not able to talk, when they’re too busy, when other things get in the way.

Bitty sneaks off to the kitchen, pretending he’s getting some more snacks for everyone, phone already in hand. _You were fantastic!!_ _xxx (I hope Señor Bunny is getting some extra cuddles tonight),_ he sends to Jack.

It takes a while until he gets a reply. _Of course he’s getting extra cuddles_ , Jack says, and, _I wish I could give you extra cuddles too xx_

Which is, quite frankly, already enough to put Bitty in an early grave, but then Jack sends a photo of himself. Well, it’s just half his face, his bedsheets pulled up to his chin, and Señor Bunny’s head sticking out from under the covers next to Jack.

Bitty should probably be embarrassed that he is, only for a second, extremely jealous of a stuffed animal.

*

Bitty’s phone gives a ding.

 _Do you have time to come on Skype?_ Jack asks _. Someone’s missing you a lot :-(_

_:(( Give me 10 minutes?_

_Take your time_ , Jack says and sends Bitty a picture of Señor Bunny sitting on the couch next to Jack’s laptop, _we’ll be waiting right here._

If Bitty’s homework is a little rushed that day, well, it’s all Jack Zimmermann’s fault.

“Hey, Bittle,” Jack says when Bitty calls him seven and a half minutes later – just a rough estimate.

Jack is on the couch; Señor Bunny is perched on his shoulder.

“Hey, honey,” Bitty says. The sight of Jack always does funny things to his heart, but seeing him sit there with Señor Bunny is almost too much. “Look at the two of you…”

“I have to say, we get along pretty well. We have loads to talk about.” Jack grins. “We’re chirping you all day.”

“Oh, I see how it is,” Bitty says, shaking his head. “I’ll have to pick him up soon, you’re a terrible role model.”

Jack picks Señor Bunny off his shoulder and puts him on his chest, waving one of his ears at Bitty. “You should. I bet he misses you loads.”

“I miss him, too. And you as well.”

“You know, I can always put him in the mail and send him to you.”

“Can you send yourself as well?” Bitty asks.

Jack smiles. “Is that how the kids these days ask their boyfriends to come visit them?”

“I don’t know, is it working?”

They make plans for Bitty to come to Providence on Sunday. Jack offers to come to Samwell, but they won’t have a single minute to themselves if anyone notices that Jack is there. So Bitty’s going to Providence. Just for the day. He can always say that he was at the library. Not that it’s the most convincing excuse, but at least he doesn’t have to lie his way through an entire weekend.

Today they talk for much longer than usual. Bitty is pretty sure that Jack would have gone to bed nearly an hour ago on any other given day and he can basically watch him sink further into his couch, but he’s enjoying watching Jack fiddle with Señor Bunny’s ears way too much to interrupt him as he talks about practice.

It’s when Bitty starts yawning that Jack says, “Better head to bed.”

“Hm, yeah.” Bitty rubs his eyes. “Night, Jack. I love you.”

“Love you, too.” Jack holds Señor Bunny in front of his face and does a funny voice. “ _Good night, Bittle_.”

Bitty snorts. “Honestly, if he could talk, I don’t think he’d call me _Bittle_.”

“Eric?” Jack says. There’s that mischievous glint in his eyes that he gets sometimes when he’s about to say something completely ridiculous. “No, wait… _Dicky_.”

“Shush,” Bitty says.

*

Usually, when Bitty visits Jack in Providence, the first thing he gets as soon as they are behind closed doors is a kiss. Today, Jack pushes the door shut, says, “Wait here,” and hurries away.

He returns with Señor Bunny and hands him to Bitty. Then Bitty gets a kiss.

“I missed you,” Bitty whispers to Señor Bunny and hugs him against his chest.

Jack takes him by the hand. “Hungry?”

Bitty shakes his head. He had lunch with Chowder and Lardo and then begged off to _run some errands_. Bitty lets himself be pulled into Jack’s living room, Señor Bunny still cradled against his chest. Jack flops down on the couch and Bitty follows suit, draping himself over Jack, face tucked into the crook of Jack’s neck. Señor Bunny ends up squashed between them and Bitty quickly pulls him out of harm’s way.

Jack takes him, his smile soft. “You know, it was nice having him here… Reminded me of you.”

Bitty would lie if he said that he didn’t like the thought of Jack tucked into bed, hugging Señor Bunny. But that doesn’t mean that Bitty won’t take him back to Samwell with him. He narrows his eyes at Jack. “If you try to steal him…”

“I wouldn’t dare,” Jack says and sneaks a kiss to Bitty’s temple.

Bitty props himself up a little, just enough so he can get to Jack’s lips.

It’s pretty distracting, kissing Jack. Jack doesn’t do things halfway, he’s always all in. Jack Zimmermann knows how to kiss thoroughly. He kisses with purpose. He kisses Bitty like he’s prepared to do this, and only this, for the rest of his life. Like he wouldn’t mind staying on this couch and trailing his thumb across Bitty’s cheek and gently nibbling at Bitty’s lower lip, like this is all that matters in the whole wide world.

When Jack kisses him like this, Bitty feels like he’s the center of Jack’s universe. There’s no better feeling than that.

Jack’s hands slowly wander down Bitty’s sides – also with purpose – and Bitty hums into their kiss.

He gets lost when he kisses Jack, he gets lost in his lips and his hands and the breathy noises he makes. One of Jack’s hands abandons the slope of Bitty’s back in favor of cradling the back of his neck, fingertips wandering into his hair.

It’s regrettable that they don’t get to do this every single second of every single day.

Bitty’s fingers slide under Jack’s shirt, up his stomach, over warm, smooth skin, and he feels Jack shiver beneath his fingertips. Bitty tugs at Jack’s shirt. “Do you wanna take that off?”

Jack holds up Señor Bunny who ended up getting pushed against one of the sofa cushions while they were kissing. Jack covers Señor Bunny’s eyes. “Bits, not in front of the children.”

Bitty collapses into breathless laughter, his forehead pressed against Jack’s chest as he giggles. “Poor Señor Bunny,” he says once he’s caught his breath.

Jack’s fingers sneak back into his hair and Bitty cuddles against him. “So,” Jack says, “I’ve been thinking… I could cook dinner tonight. If you can stick around for that long.”

“Of course I can stay,” Bitty says. “But I’m not so sure about you cooking dinner.” He’s just teasing. Jack can make a pretty decent dinner, it’s just that Bitty is really bad at being in a kitchen and doing nothing at all.

“Just because I burnt those eggs…” Jack nudges Bitty’s side. “Anyway, that was one time. And technically it was your fault.”

“ _My_ fault?”

“You were distracting me… with your…”

Bitty bats his eyelashes at him. “Yes?”

“With your, uh, lack of clothing.”

Okay, maybe it was Bitty’s fault. At least partly. But when he saw Jack making breakfast in nothing but his boxers and an apron, Bitty just had to kiss him. So the eggs weren’t really the center of attention anymore. Maybe Jack gets a little lost when Bitty kisses him as well.

Bitty plants a kiss on Jack’s jaw to apologize. Jack nuzzles into his hair in return.

It’s a good way to spend his Sunday afternoon, on a couch, with Jack, and with Jack’s arms wrapped around him. Bitty lazily draws patterns on Jack’s chest and listens as Jack’s breathing evens out until he’s snoring quietly. Bitty closes his eyes, but he doesn’t fall asleep.

Eventually, he untangles himself from Jack. He won’t mind if Bitty tinkers about the kitchen for a bit before dinner. They can have pie for dessert later.

Bitty sits back, not getting up right away. Jack still has Señor Bunny on his chest, fingers loosely curled around him. Jack scrunches up his nose in his sleep and something in Bitty’s chest feels very light, like he’s about to float away.

If somebody told him that there is someone out there who’s happier than him right now, Bitty wouldn’t believe them.

**Author's Note:**

> Kudos and comments are very much appreciated :)
> 
> (By the way, if any of you wanna say hi on tumblr, I'm @zimmermaenner)


End file.
